Battleford Trail 18-day trek ongoing for southwest Sask. walkers

People accompany a group of walkers at the start of their 18-day walk from Swift Current to Battleford, Aug. 3. Tracey Bickford of Prairie Percherons is driving a Red River cart while Blair Bickford is steering a two-horse wagon. The Red River cart was built for the Art Gallery of Swift Current by Métis master cart builder Armand Jerome.

A departure ceremony took place in Swift Current on Aug. 3 for a group of walkers on a 18-day walk to Battleford.

The ceremony took place at the the Battleford Trail Ruts Municipal Heritage Site. Some of the people at the ceremony also accompanied the walkers to the outskirts of the city and along the initial few kilometres of a gravel road.

The walk was organized by Swift Current resident Hugh Henry, who is the vice-president of the Saskatchewan History and Folklore Society. The walk will closely follow the route of the historic Swift Current – Battleford Trail, which was an important trade route between the two communities from 1883 to 1890.

Only a few walkers, including Henry, will complete the entire distances. Some of the walkers who started in Swift Current will only go halfway while other walkers will join the group for a day or two along the route. The walk will conclude with an event at Fort Battleford on Aug. 20.